First SPEA Ryan Fellow to work at Bloomington Economic Development Corp.

Bloomington, Indiana -- Emily Loehr, a graduate student in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington, is the first recipient of the John W. Ryan Fellowship under a new program named for the IU president emeritus.

Loehr, an honors graduate of the University of Minnesota-Morris and a master of public affairs student at SPEA, will work at the Bloomington Economic Development Corp.

The fellowship program requires students to work closely with a state or local government agency or a nonprofit organization while pursuing the professional master's degree. While many SPEA students have worked closely with various public agencies and nonprofit organizations in the Monroe County area, Loehr is the first student who will be working with the BEDC. Her duties include analyzing public issues related to the retention and expansion of key businesses, and formulating recommendations and courses of action for the Bloomington community and surrounding region.

"We're honored to be chosen as the placement for the first Ryan Fellow. It is great opportunity for us," said Ron Walker, president of the BEDC and a SPEA alumnus. "SPEA is a huge resource for the Bloomington community, and Emily has already proven to be a great addition to our team. Her research abilities and community-minded approach fit well with our organization's mission of being a catalyst for the retention, development and attraction of quality jobs."

"We've been waiting a while to get a student in the BEDC," Jennifer Forney, SPEA director of graduate student services, said. "It offers the perfect articulation between classroom learning and real-world experience that our students so want and need. As well, the Ryan Fellowship will allow SPEA students to, ideally, make a difference in the very community they have come to live and learn in."

The fellowship draws upon a $1 million endowment established in Ryan's honor last fall by alumni and other IU supporters. Earnings from the endowment and matching funds from the university will enable the school to award four $25,000 fellowships annually when fully implemented.

"I am excited to be working with the BEDC," Loehr said. "The combination of a top-notch education at SPEA with the valuable experience gained from working hands-on with the BEDC is everything a master's student of public affairs could hope for."

John W. Ryan has served Indiana University as a professor, vice president and chancellor of regional campuses and, for 16 years, as its president. During his tenure as president, Ryan forged numerous international relationships for IU, making it a global university.

Ryan was instrumental in the creation of SPEA, now a world leader among peer institutions. U.S. News & World Report has ranked SPEA-Bloomington third in the nation among the best graduate public affairs programs. SPEA has earned national distinction for innovative educational programs that combine administrative, social, economic, financial and environmental disciplines.